Multidirection safety snap-in fused adapter plug



J. GALLO, SR

Feb. 24, 1970 MULTIDIRECTION SAFETY SNAP-IN FUSED ADAPTER PLUG FiledNov. 14, 1967 INVENTOR Job/7 00//0, 5n

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,497,850 MULTIDIRECTION SAFETY SNAP-INFUSED ADAPTER PLUG John Gallo, Sr., 64 Broad St., Boston, Mass. 02109Filed Nov. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 682,886 Int. Cl. H01h 85 02, 85/14 US. Cl.337-197 6 Claims ABSTRAOT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plastic body, preferablyof transparent plastic, houses conductors extending longitudinallytherethrough, such conductors forming at one end sockets for thereception of a plug from an appliance. The opposite ends of theconductors are connected pivotally to projecting prongs which may beplugged into an electrical outlet with the body of the device projectingeither directly outwardly or at any angle from 0 to 90 in eitherdirection, swinging about the pivotal connection of the prongs with theconductors. The body includes therein a fuse lighter than that in thefuse box so that if the appliance is shorted, the fuse in the body ofthe device will blow without disturbing the fuse in the fuse box. Thebody includes a preferably clear plastic cover through which the fuse isvisible.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present practice, allbuilding wiring has individual appliances or outlets selectivelyconnected to fuses in a fuse box, and if any appliance isshort-circuited, all of the appliances connected to one fuse in the boxwill be rendered inoperative if such fuse should blow.

In many instances the lead-in for the appliance must be bent adjacentthe plug to clear adjacent obstacles, for example, articles of furniturearranged adjacent an outlet. This bending or flexing of the wire isdangerous, since it may result in crystallization and breaking of thewires adjacent the plug, thus causing short-circuits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises an insulating bodyhaving therein at least one continuous conductor from one end to theother. Preferably, one conductor is in two separated parts connected bya relatively light fuse so that in the event an appliance isshort-circuited the lighter fuse of the present device will blow, andwill not disturb the main fuse in the fuse box. The conductors provideat one end of the body a socket for the reception of an electrical plugleading to an appliance. The other end of the body is provided Withprojecting prongs to be inserted ino an electrical outlet. These prongsare pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of the conductors to occupya position in alignment therewith, or any intermediate position up to anangle of 90 with respect to the conductors. With such an arrangement,the prongs may be swung to 90 relative to the conductors and insertedinto the electrical outlet, thus leaving the sockets at the other end ofthe device open for the reception of an appliance plug. The device mayproject either upwardly or downwardly from the outlet dependent on theway the device is plugged into the outlet.

The body of the device is preferably made Wholly of clear plastic.However, the body includes a top plate which may be made of clearplastic while the remainder of the body is opaque, the clear plasticcover rendering the fuse within the body clearly visible so that it canbe determined whether such fuse has burned out. The main body of thedevice is notched at one end to provide clearance for the projecting ofthe prongs in the manner described above.

3,497,850 Patented Feb. 24, 1970 The main body of the device beneath thecover is grooved from end to end and such grooves are provided withoffsets so that the conductors, provided with projections similar inshape to the offsets, may be pushed into position to be held againstlongitudinal displacement by such offsets, the conductors and the fusebeing inserted prior to the securing of the cover in position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a face view of one form ofthe device, the interior parts being visible through the transparentcover;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the prongs in solidlines turned at right angles to the conductors within the device;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary prospective view of the pivotedprongs occupying positions in alignment with the conductors;

FIGURE 4 is a similar view of a modified form of the invention showingstationary prongs projecting directly from one end of the body;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view employing stationary prongs projecting atright angles from the body; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing a form of the devicehaving prong-receiving sockets at both ends.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3the numeral 10 designates the main body of the device having a coverplate of corresponding shape and size indicated by the numeral 12 andsecured in position on the body by screws 14 adjacent opposite ends ofthe device. Both the body and the cover plate can be made of clearplastic or the body 10 may be made of opaque insulating material.However, it is much preferred that the cover plate 12 be made oftransparent material for a reason which will become apparent.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, the body 10 is providedto one side of the longitudinal center thereof with a groove 15 havinglateral offsets 16 preferably centrally of the length of the body. Thegroove 15 at one end of the body is flared outwardly as' at 18. Twocopper or other metallic strips 20 are inserted in the groove 15 andconstitute one conductor for the device, the ends of the strips 20 atone end being flared as at 22 to lie against the fiared portion 18 ofthe groove 15. The strips 20 intermediate their ends are bent to provideprojections 24 lying in the offsets 16 to be thus anchored againstlongitudinal displacement in the body 10.

Offset to the other side of its longitudinal center, the body 10 isprovided with a groove 26, one end of which is flared outwardly as at28. A substantial length of the central portion of the groove 26 iswidened as at 30. Two sets of strips of copper or other conductive metal32 are arranged in each end portion of the groove 26 and terminate attheir inner ends with projecting portions 34 received in offsets 36 inthe widened portion 30 of the groove 26. The projections 36, as well asthe projections 24, preferably correspond in shape to the offsets inwhich they are arranged, and as in the case of the offsets 16, theoffsets 36 fix the strips 32 against longitudinal movement.

Opposite ends of the pairs of strips 32 are relatively closely spacedand these spaces as well as the spaces between the ends of the strips 20are adapted to receive the prongs of an electric plug. The portions ofthe strips 32 toward the center of the device are relatively widelyspaced as at 38 to receive therebetween a fuse 40, which is lighter thanthe fuse in the fuse box controlling the circuit in which the presentdevice is employed. The widely spaced portions 38 of the strips 32 seatagainst shoulders 42 forming parts of the grooves 26, and before thefuse 40 is inserted, the portions 38 of the strips are sprung inwardlyslightly as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1. Preferably, when the fuse36 is inserted, the strip portion 38 springs outwardly substantiallysolidly against the shoulders 42.

At the right-hand end of the device, as viewed in FIG- URE 1, and alsoas shown in FIG. 3, the body is cut away at 44 in the extremity of thebody and toward the side thereof opposite the cover plate 12. Two plugprongs 46 project from said cutaway portion and are pivotally connectedas at 48 to the adjacent ends of the conductors within the body. Theseprongs are preferably formed of resilient strips bent back uponthemselves at their extremities and bulged apart as at 50 to be insertedinto an outlet. In FIGURE 2 the prongs 46 are shown in solid linesprojecting perpendicular to the body and in dotted lines as projectingin alignment with the body. Assuming that the prongs 46 are plugged intoanother similar device, as indicated by the dotted lines 52, such deviceand the body 10 will be in contact with each other so that the prongswill not be exposed. The same is true if the prongs in the dotted lineposition are plugged into an outlet or into such a device as the presentone.

The device shown in FIGURE 4 is essentially the same as the device shownin FIGURE 1 except that the projecting prongs 54 are not hinged, butproject directly from the body 10 through openings 56. In such case, ifthe device is plugged into an outlet, it will project directly outwardlytherefrom. In the form of the device shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, thesame is true if the prongs ,46 are used in the dotted line positionshown in FIGURE 2. However, if the prongs 46 are swung to the solid lineposition in FIGURE 2, the body of the device will project directly alongthe surface in which the outlet is formed.

In FIGURE 5, the pron-gs are again rigid as in FIG- URE 4. These prongsare indicated by the numeral 58 and project directly through openings 60in the body 10, being fixed at their inner ends to the interiorconductors of the device as suggested by dotted lines in FIGURE 5.

In FIGURE 6, there is shown a device having sockets at both ends. Insuch case, the body is provided to one side of the center thereof with agroove 62 similar to the groove '15 in FIGURE 1, and conducting strips64 are arranged in such grooves and provided with projections 66arranged in offsets 68 formed in the groove 62. Opposite ends of thestrips 64 are flared as at 70 to fit against the ends 72 of the groove62. This duplicates at opposite ends of the device the structure at theleft-hand end of FIGURE 1.

At the opposite side of the longitudinal center of the body in FIGURE 6,grooves 74 are formed receiving conducting strips 76 which may beidentical with the lefthand strips 32 in FIGURE 1, both ends of thebottom strips in FIGURE 6 being flared as at 77 so that plugs arereceivable in opposite ends of the device.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the most important form ofthe invention is shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 wherein the pivoted prongs46 may be positioned at either the dotted or solid line positions inFIGURE 2 or at any position therebetween. This renders the device highlyconvenient in use particularly where the plug to an appliance is tooccupy a position at an angle to the outlet to which it is to beconnected. For example, in a wall outlet, the prongs may be turned tothe solid line position in FIGURE 2 so that the body 10 lies along thewall and the plug at the end of the cord to an appliance may be inserteddirectly into the end of the device opposite the prongs 46 without thenecessity for having to bend or flex the wire. The use of the fuse inthe combination is highly desirable. This fuse will be lighther than thefuse controlling the circuit in the fuse box and it will be visiblethrough the transparent cover plate 12 together with all of the parts,to determine their condition.

In the event of a short circuit in the appliance, the fuse 40 will blowwithout disturbing the main fuse, and other outlets controlled by thelatter fuse will not be rendered inoperative.

Assuming that a fuse 40 blows, it is easy to replace it merely byremoving one of the screws 14, loosening the other screw and swingingthe plate 12 in its own plane to expose the fuse. A screwdriver, nail orother implement then may be inverted beneath one end of the fuse and thelatter pulled upwardly to be removed. Another fuse may be inserted,whereupon the plate 12 will be swung back to its normal position and thescrews reapplied. This advantage is true of all forms of the invention.

The device is extremely simple and economical to manufacture andassemble. For example, in FIGURE 1 with the plate 12 removed, the strips20 with the associated prong 46- pivoted with respect thereto, may beinserted in the groove 15 and the projections 24 will slide into theoffsets 16, thus effectively anchoring the conducting strips inposition. The conducting strips 32 may be similarly and just as easilyinserted and will be anchored in position, whereupon .the plate 12 maybe applied together with the screws 14 to complete the assembling of thedevice. The conducting strips of the several forms of the invention areheld in position in the body in the same manner.

Referring to FIGURE 3, it will be obvious that the strips 46 may bereadily swung to the two positions shown in FIGURE 2 or to anyintermediate position if desired, the cutouts 44 providing clearancefrom the swinging of the prongs.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided animproved multidirection safety snap-in fused adapter plug whichaccomplishes all of the objects of this invention and others, includingmany advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As various embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and asmany modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An electrical adapter comprising an elongated body having an upperface grooved to receive at one side of the longitudinal center thereof acontinuous conductor, said continuous conductor being in the form of apair of spaced conducting strips extending substantially from end to endof said body, the top of said body having offset cutouts communicatingwith the groove containing said pair of strips, said pair of stripshaving lateral offsets corresponding in shape and size to said offsetcutouts to be received therein to prevent longitudinal displacement ofsaid pair of strips, said body being grooved at the opposite side of thelongitudinal center thereof to receive additional con-- ductors, each ofsaid additional conductors comprising; a pair of spaced conductingstrips having confronting relatively widely spaced end portions, theconfronting end portions of each additional pair being longitudinallyspaced from each other, said end portions having offset resilientreverted ends, said body having a widened central. portion with lateralopenings at the ends thereof to re-- ceive said widely spaced endportions and said reverted ends, a fuse frictionally engaging betweensaid spaced inner ends of said last-named pairs of conductors andseating in said widened central portion, a transparent top plate closingthe top of said body to render said fuse visi ble, and prongs projectingfrom at least one end of said body and electrically connected at theirinner ends to the adjacent conductors.

2. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein said prongs are privotallyconnected at said inner ends thereof to the respective adjacentconductors, said end of said body having cutaways for said prongs toprovide for the swinging thereof from positions substantially inalignment with said conductors to positions substantially at rightangles to said conductors.

3. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein said prongs are pivotallyconnected at their inner ends to the respective adjacent conductors,said body having cutaways in said end thereof extending from said topplate entirely through said body to provide for the pivoting of saidprongs to various angular positions relative to said body.

4. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein the prongs project directlyfrom one end of said body and are fixed at their inner ends to theadjacent ends of the respective conductors.

5. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein the prongs project from therear face of said body and are secured at their inner ends to therespective adjacent ends of said conductors.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,251,471 1/1918 Brooks.2,406,154 8/1946 Medlin 339l96 X 3,020,518 2/1962 Camping et al. 339-496X FOREIGN PATENTS 203,344 5/1924 Great Britain.

KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

6. The stucture of claim 1 wherein said body is com- 15 3372555 339 196prised of transparent material.

